Events

Hold Your Breath

Michael Smith of Westminster took this photo of the sunset on June 6. It took on a reddish hue due to smoke from wildfires in the southwest.

The Colorado Department of Health has issued an official warning to your lungs about the bad air coming out of the wildfires in Colorado and Arizona. The smoky haze is the worst around Colorado Springs and areas south and west, but we’re getting hit all along the Front Range with air that’s not exactly crystal clear. In fact, the haze from the these fires have already made their way to Iowa.

So what does this mean for you? More than a prettier sunset.

In some cases, maybe all you’ll notice is a little irritation to your eyes, and some burning and congestion in your nose and throat. But if you have asthma or other respiratory problems, you may be feeling a little more wheezy and tighter in the chest than usual. And if have some problems with your heart, you’re at a higher risk of chest pain and discomfort from all of this junk in the air.

Plus, as usual, the babies, toddlers, and the elderly may have more problems.

So here’s the deal. Some lubricating eye drops may help. So might benefit from some saline nasal spray. If you have asthma, have that inhaler ready to puff. And even if you don’t have any health problems, it’s not a bright idea to go out and exercise right now. You’ll be sucking those little smoke particles deeeeeeeeep into your airways. Not good.

Finally, if you do have heart or lung problems, the great indoors is the place to be until these fires get doused.